GoVolHerts Celebrates 7,000 Registered Volunteers and Counting!

Explore Local Volunteering Opportunities at GoVolHerts Community Event in Hitchin Our community would not be what it is without the amazing volunteers who give their time freely to help others – and in the process often have a great time themselves! People don’t always realise the huge difference that volunteering makes in our community or that volunteering takes so many shapes and sizes, with hundreds of different organisations and roles that volunteers can be involved in. Our Volunteer Fair is being held on Friday 6th June in Hitchin High Street from 10am - 3pm and will celebrate volunteers in all their glory and, with more than 25 local organisations taking part it will be a wonderful opportunity to learn about the many different types of volunteering and how you could get involved too. Emily Butterworth, Volunteering Development Lead at GoVolHerts, shared: “We’re really looking forward to welcoming everyone to this event in the heart of Hitchin. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet the incredible people behind our local charities and learn about the vital role volunteers play in their work. We’re delighted to have a wide range of amazing organisations taking part, all eager to share how the public can get involved and the fantastic impact that they can achieve through volunteering. We’re honoured to be joined also by local dignitaries and representatives from our councils. Whether you’re looking to try something new, build confidence, or find a meaningful way to give back, this event is the perfect place to start. Huge thanks to Visit Hitchin for helping us bring it all together.” Visitors will have the chance to connect with the following local charities: Music 24 , MCR Pathways , Age UK Hertfordshire , Willow Foundation , Health & Independent, Living Support , Garden House Hospice Care , NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service), Brainkind , Mind in Mid-Herts , Tilehouse Counselling, Schoolreaders, North Herts Marie Curie , Carers in Hertfordshire, Citizens Advice North Hertfordshire , Herts Mind Network , Buzzworks Association Hitchin , First Garden Cities Homes , Stand-by-Me Children's Bereavement Services, Crossroads Caring for Life , Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service , Home-Start Hertfordshire , GRIT . The Volunteer Fair in Hitchin is part of Hertfordshire’s celebration of Volunteers Week, a national event to celebrate and showcase the contribution of volunteers in our community. To find out more, visit www.govolherts.org.uk or contact the team at i [email protected]. The fair will take place on the High Street in Hitchin. There is no need for the public to register – just come along at any time from 10am to 3pm. We look forward to seeing you there! GoVolHerts is a free volunteer-matching platform that makes it easy to discover the right opportunity. With hundreds of live roles from almost 500 non-profit organisations, the site connects people with causes that matter to them. GoVolHerts is delivered by North Herts and Stevenage CVS and proudly funded by Hertfordshire County Council.

GoVolHerts joined North Herts & Stevenage CVS and around 20 volunteer managers from non-profit organisations across the county for a networking meeting where we discussed issues in volunteering and the volunteer management role - organising the participation of volunteers, recruitment, supervision and engagement. After a speed-intro circle in which we learned who everyone was and how many volunteers they managed (from just a few to nearly 1000!) we shared our perspectives on volunteering trends, how we respond, the issues we face and our particular experiences and interests. GoVolHerts Volunteering Development Lead, Emily Butterworth said: "Working with volunteers is inspiring and rewarding, and you get to work with amazing dedicated people, but there can be challenges too, especially when the organisation is struggling to recruit the volunteers it needs. It can be hard to find enough hours in the day when you are working with a lot of people and you want to be supportive and ensure they have a great experience and the role is sometimes short on the resources and support that are really needed. Those working in this role may also feel their responsibilities are quite different and may be separated from other organisational activities, leaving them feeling isolated and possibly experiencing strain. Attendees gladly took the opportunity to speak with peers about some of their challenges and the solutions they are exploring. Everyone shared ideas and experiences freely and we could see how useful and inspiring that was." Participants themselves set the topics they wanted to focus on and we held conversations on recruiting and retaining volunteers, improving marketing and on making the most of corporate volunteering, with lively table conversations on each of these topics. Summary notes and bullet points will be shared with everyone who attended. We also noticed much sharing of cards and promises of help between participants and we look forward to hearing about new collaborations. Those attending particularly enjoyed the opportunity to connect with peers, share experiences, discuss different scenarios and approaches, and get insights and ideas from other participants. We hope a network will continue to meet regularly and we will keep you posted.

The Big Clean: A Nationwide Effort to Tackle Litter The Big Clean is an annual event dedicated to making a significant impact on litter reduction across the country. Running from March 18th to March 31st , this initiative encourages individuals, community groups, and local organisations to come together to clean up their towns and green spaces. Volunteers from all walks of life take part, collecting rubbish and raising awareness about the importance of keeping public spaces clean. If you’re looking to get involved in a local litter-picking initiative, one group making a big difference is the Wheathampstead Wombles . This dedicated team of volunteers works year-round to keep the village clean. Below, we speak to a representative from the group about their efforts. About Wheathampstead Wombles The Wombles have been active for several years, but I took over around 8–10 months ago. Since then, we have been working to keep the village clean through regular litter-picking efforts. Our Weekly Clean-ups Once or twice a week, a small group of three or four volunteers selects a local road or lane to clean. We spend a couple of hours collecting rubbish from the lane and its hedgerows. Later that day, Veolia usually collects and disposes of the rubbish. We share updates about our activities on the Wheathampstead Network Facebook page to keep the community informed. Larger Community Litter-Picks A couple of times a year, we organise a big Wombles litter-pick, encouraging wider community participation. Around 100 people in the village have expressed an interest in helping, so I email them in advance. Those who can join us, usually on a Saturday or Sunday morning, help clean areas of the village that aren’t maintained by us. We’ve also given out some small handheld litter pickers that people can take on walks and use to pick up litter. We also help out with other community initiatives like planting hedgerows or clearing local overgrown bridleways. Biggest Challenges One of our main challenges is tackling casual littering, especially in the high street and along some of the busier roads in the village. However, we believe that by maintaining a consistently clean environment, it discourages people from dropping litter in the first place. Impact People often comment on how clean Wheathampstead and its local roads are, and I think anyone that drives into London can see what a difference we make to the environment. Plans for Expansion We would like to develop an app or website to track the areas we have cleaned. This would help us monitor progress and raise awareness. To achieve this, we are reaching out to local community groups for support in planning and developing the app. If you’d like to get involved with The Big Clean , consider joining the Wheathampstead Wombles to make a lasting impact in your community. Click here to apply.